1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bench and table combination which is collapsible for easy storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Picnic tables with integral benches are well known in the prior art and are often found in places such as country parks and in gardens belonging to public houses. These are typically of solid timber construction and remain outside all year round as they are rather large and pose problems for storage. The wood can deteriorate when left outside. It may become rotten and often looks discoloured and dirty.
There are picnic tables and benches available on the market which are collapsible, but these are often made of a plastic material and are not usually as sturdy as the known wooden picnic bench/table combinations. Also known are modular tables and chairs which can be easily stored, but take a long time to put together.
The prior art includes a variety of collapsible table and bench combinations, which fold along the length of the table top into a more compact arrangement for storage purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,823,484 of Blumenthal describes a table which is supported by legs positioned close to the outer edges of the table top, and which cross one another and are pivotally secured at their midpoint. The assembly is rather complicated, being pivoted at many other points, in particular a connecting strut between the two seats is pivoted at its midpoint, to each of the seats and each of the table legs and additionally incorporates a sliding mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,594,572 of Soltesz describes a table top which is similarly supported by legs positioned close to the outer edges of the table top, the seats being supported by a brace pivoted at several points along its length and extending between the midpoint of the table top and the inner edge of the seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,550 of Gay, U.S. Pat. No. 1,585,954 of Widmark and U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,987 of Sraka et al. all describe an arrangement in which the table legs are angled towards the table top, with their ends meeting along the longitudinal axis of the table. The table top is therefore not supported at its outer edges by the table legs, and a variety of vertical supporting struts are necessary as a result. Gay shows the use of vertical table top supports which are detachably fixed to the outer edges of the table top and extend down and are pivoted to the table legs. Sraka et al. describes the use of table top supports which are interconnected to horizontal braces, both being pivotally and slidably connected to the table top and seats. Widmark describes a table top incorporating a storage box which extends along the longitudinal central portion of the table top. The remainder of the table top extending either side of the box is formed of two leaves which are hinged to swing down to a horizontal position for storage within the box. The benches and table legs similarly are hinged to fold to a horizontal position for storage within the box.
All the prior art documents referred to describe collapsible table and bench combinations which are relatively complicated, involving the use of extra supporting struts and braces which may be pivotally or slidably attached to the frame, and as such make the assembly more difficult and time consuming to assemble and collapse.